Nia Long and Ime Udoka expecting a child

Well Nia Long has been telling people that she is pregnant and rumors were flying about who the father was.  In a statement to People Magazine, she revealed that the father of the child is NBA basketball player, Ime Udoka. “This is the most exciting time in our lives. Words can’t explain how thrilled we are by the new addition to our family. We feel truly blessed and appreciate all the well wishes and prayers.”

Nia Long and Ime Udoka

Udoka is a Nigerian-American, son of  a Nigerian of Ibo descent. Mfon Udoka, his sister,is also a great basketball player in her own right.  Udoka was able to play for the Nigerian basketball team in the 2006 FIBA World Championships. He originally played for the Portland Trailblazers and then went on to play for the San Antonio Spurs.
Congratulations to them both!

source: jamati.com

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Chris DeShield releases ‘Wickedest Whine’ Video.

Chris DeShield recently released a song that he wrote for Cadsongs, called ‘Wickedest Whine’ which has been a big hit, especially in the East African market.  The original song is produced by K’Nel of Anglohili, and Mugo Nganga of Waithaka Entertainment, this song has gotten a heavy rotation on Kenyan stations and received lots of great reviews.  This remix version is courtesy of DJ Snake from Cape Verde/Portugal.

Chris DeShield

His new video, directed by Alex Acosta of Prestige Filmworks, is now available for viewing.  Acosta has worked on videos for Raheem  Devaughn,  Boobe, Gorilla Zoe, Lola Monroe, Cassidy Da Hustler, Jim Jones, and Kingpen Slim, to name a few and is no stranger to what audiences like.
K’nel is a seasoned artist in his own right and has been enthralling fans with his unique style for years in Europe.  A serial entrepreneur, he also has a clothing line, and artist management company.  Mugo Nganga has been producing music and mixing beats for years. He produced ‘For Love‘ for Julian Gbaba, featuring Legacy and David Machado.

Wickedest Wine By Chris DeShield from ChrisDeShield on Vimeo.

source: jamati.com

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Kenyan and South African Photographers win prestigious Photoafrica awards in Spain

June 12th, Tarifa, Spain – Photographers from South Africa and Kenya won prestigious awards at fourth Photoafrica contest, which took place within 8th African Film Festival of Tarifa. First place award, endowed with €1,500, went to Jessica MacLeod from South Africa for her photograph titled “You see a shack, I see my house”. Second place award, endowed with €1,000, went to James Muriuki from Kenya for the photograph  titled “44”.  Third place, endowed with €500, went to Mimi Cherono from Kenya with the photograph titled “Khusi and the Giraffes”. “It was incredibly difficult to decide about winners, as the fourth edition of Photoafrica experienced a record number of over 400 entries and once again proved the unique potential and quality of African photographers”, says Pablo Juliá, chairman of the jury and director of the Andalusian Center Of Photography.

James Muriuki

The unique potential of current African photography was confirmed by Gaetano Gualdo, coordinator of 8th African Film Festival of Tarifa: “This year for the first time ever [we got participation from] photographers from countries like Madagascar, Namibia or Lesotho.  South Africa had 23 entries of which 16 made it to final, and one of them, Jessica MacLeod, won the 1st prize,” he said.

The topic of this year’s Photoafrica was “Urban Space” of African cities seen through the photographers’ eyes. There were 25 photographers from 11  African countries competing with their works in the final round of this year’s Photoafrica contest. The exhibition of 27 large format photographs from this year’s final was inaugurated and is installed outdoors in Tarifa. At the end of the festival it will tour for a whole year through Spanish and African cities.

Jessica MacLeod

The African Film Festival of Tarifa (FCAT – Festival de Cine Africano de Tarifa) is an independent and competitive film festival and one of the biggest African film festivals in Europe. The FCAT celebrates its eighth year from June 11th-19th in the Andalusian town of Tarifa – the closest town on continental Europe to the African continent – the two continents are in fact only 14 km apart from one another in this geographical area.
This year FCAT will screen over one hundred African films and it will bring together some of the most distinguished African filmmakers. Its aim is to spread knowledge about African film production by exhibiting a representative wide variety of audiovisual African works–from the classics to more innovative and recent films; from documentaries to feature length fiction films; from South Africa to Morocco; and from Senegal to Ethiopia.

Mimi Cherono

25 photographers who competed in the 4th Photoafrica:
● Abdelmohcine Nakari, Morocco
● Aboubacar Traore, Mali
● Adolphus Opara, Nigeria
● Djibril Drame, Senegal
● Georges Senga, Democratic Republic of Congo
● James Muriuki, Kenya
● Hlompho Letsielo, Lesotho
● Resta Nyamwanza, Zimbabwe
● Mário Macilau, Mozambique
● Marwen Trabelsi, Tunisia
● Mimi Cherono Ng’ok, Kenya
● Noncedo Charmaine Mathibela, South Africa
● Roanne Sutcliffe, South Africa
● Anthony Purnell, South Africa
● Bianca Kerstein Vinay, South Africa
● Cendyl Charlton, South Africa
● Chandre Busschau, South Africa
● Costas Christodoulou, South Africa
● David Kutlwano Moagi, South Africa
● Davina Gokool, South Africa
● Hayden Brawn, South Africa
● Ihsaan Haffejee, South Africa
● Jessica MacLeod, South Africa
● Kristi Bailey, South Africa
● Mack Magagane, South Africa

source: jamati.com

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Kwab Asamoah opens ‘Kustom Looks Clothier’ in Accra

Award-winning US based Ghanaian designer, Kwab Asamoah has finally opened his first shop in Accra. Kustom Looks Ghana, located inside the A&C Mall in East Legon, has been opened to the general public to allow them enjoy top class handmade suits and garment made not for just anybody but their body, as the clothier’s tagline implies.
As the President and CEO of Kustom Looks, Kwab Asamoah is the tailor to some of the most prominent African American political and business leaders in the Washington area. He has managed to create a stellar reputation in the fashion industry that has his competitors taking notice. In less than six years, he was able to expand a meager custom apparel business operating from his home to a thriving and dynamic fashion corporation. Today, his all-natural hand tailored custom suits, manufactured in his exclusive Bangkok factory, start at $695 and can range upward of $3,500.
His loyal clientele numbers in the thousands around the world and include national politicians, broadcasters, ministers, athletes, head of states, and business professionals. In 2010 he was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year Award for his outstanding contribution to the business and fashion industry.
According to Kwab, Kustom Looks Ghana will operate in the same manner as in the US. Clients will be able to select from 3000 fabrics that will be available to them from Italy, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and the UK. The items will still be manufactured in the Bangkok factory and shipped directly to Ghana. All items will be individually hand sewn and customized to each person.
He adds that he is trying to capture the same market in Ghana as in the US; that is, the working professional who values quality and fashion. “There are numerous individuals who travel outside of Ghana in order to purchase high quality garments. Our goal is to circumvent this process by opening a store directly in the country. So hopefully these individuals will not have to travel outside of our country in order to find quality clothes.”
Kwab is currently in Accra and available to take measurements and orders from shirts to suits, and other accessories for both men and women. According to the designer, Ghanaians should expect high end fashion at an affordable price. “They should expect the highest quality product made with the best workmanship coupled with excellent customer service.”


source: jamati.com

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D’banj signs up to Kanye West’s Good Music Label

A new drift has been set as far as collaborations and partnerships among Africans across the Diaspora.

Award winning Nigerian artist D’banj (Dapo Oyebanjo) has today, signed a contract to work under GOOD MUSIC Label owned by Kanye West. Sunday Are, D’banjs manager confirmed the news of the finalized contract between the two artists saying, “Yes there have been discussions between the two parties lately. They have been exchanging contracts but now the wait is over, he said.”
D’banj a celebrated artist all over Africa, has been setting records with his music. He only recently released a video for the remix to his song Mr. Endowed with American rapper Snoop Dog. Thus it was expected for a period of time, as a lot of talk has been doing the rounds of Kanye and D’banj working together.
An excited D’banj who celebrates his birthday today (June 9th), also posted a confirmation on his twitter account saying “Jst lyk yesterday myself n my brother did Tongolo.7 yrs later Mo Hits signs wit Good Music. Best birthday gift ever. God thank u”
Don Jazzy who was D’banj’s producer under the MO’ Hits Record who has also been working with Kanye West, is also said to have signed to GOOD MUSIC label to work with Kanye. He is also rumored to have produced tracks in the upcoming collaboration album between Jay Z and Kanye West.
He is quoted on twitter as saying “Thanks for ur love and prayers always. Now we can hear IDJA from the world’s finest Stars. Thanks again its Naija.”


source: jamati.com

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Jackie Appiah looking stunning in new photos

Perhaps, no Ghanaian actress has the ‘good girl’ public demeanor as much as the lovable Jackie Appiah does. In these times when sexiness sells and most female celebrities bare more in going for the ‘sexy look’ in various photo shoots, Jackie remains conservative but always manages to look wholesome and stunning, as is evident in a new set of photos that were taken recently. It is not clear what these leaked photos would be used for but most of the photos show the actress with one musical instrument or the other. Could it be that the actress is following the musical footsteps of her Nollywood sisters, Genevieve Nnaji and Omotola? That would certainly be a surprise! It wouldn’t however be shocking if they turn out to be photos for some advertisements for this ‘queen of endorsements’. According to rumours, the actress was recently flown on a vacation trip to Turkey by a beauty and cosmetic brand that she represents in Ghana. Sources say the vacation was a reward for her outstanding behavior as the brand’s ambassador.
No matter what these pictures turn out to be for, Jackie remains gorgeous and stunningly wholesome!


source: jamati.com

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Arena Task: Battle of Great Heights

As was to be expected this evening, Headsmates headed out to the Arena for some unusual activity - this week they had to battle in the sky in a Gladiators type of set up. On arrival, the Heads quickly grabbed pool noodles with which they fought one another.

The twist to the battles was that they had to do the fighting while airborne. Some Housemates were more at home in the sky than others. Wendall, being a pilot, was one Headsmate that appeared the most comfortable in the air, while Felicia was the most rattled by heights.

All in all, Headsmates were in good spirits and even sharing jokes while they thumped one another with noodles. Who does Africa think will come out with flying colours?

Flying high!



This week you get to save Confidence, Hanni, Millicent, Weza, Vimbai, Vina, Zeus. Vote now to save your favourite Housemates. Click Here to do so! Let your voice be heard!

- By Furah
 http://bigbrotherafrica.dstv.com/News/815/ArenaTaskBattleofGreatHeights.html

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Nyasha Matonhodze – The new face of Louis Vuitton

Nyasha Matonhodze

Nyasha Matonhodze is a Zimbabwean living in London.  She is the new face of Louis Vuitton, a move they made to help revamp their look for 2011 (young and fresh as opposed to sophisticated and mature, I guess).  The former look had used models including Kristen McMenamy, 46, Raquel Zimmermann, 28, and Freja Beha Erichsen, 23.
This young aspiring model is doing really well considering that she has only been modeling for 2 years. She began her career in 2009 when she won a modeling contest. She hit the ground running when she debuted at the London Fashion Week, Spring 2011 by walking for Louise Gray, Clements Ribeiro and Jonathan Saunders and walked in Paris she walked for Loewe, Emanuel Ungaro, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and Louis Vuitton.
She is already on her way, and she is looking good doing it.

source: jamati.com

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